U.S. imposes new Venezuela-related sanctions

World
Europe

U.S. Department of the Treasury on Friday imposed sanctions on six Venezuelan security officials aligned with President Nicolas Maduro.

According to a statement issued by the Treasury, the sanctioned six officials are associated with the so-called "obstruction of humanitarian aid deliveries into Venezuela" on February 23.

"We are sanctioning members of Maduro's security forces in response to the reprehensible violence, tragic deaths, and unconscionable torching of food and medicine destined for sick and starving Venezuelans," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in the statement.

President Nicolas Maduro attends a celebration of the International Peoples' Assembly, in Caracas, February 26, 2019. /VCG Photo

Some of the targeted officials oversee Venezuelan security units in regions bordering Colombia and Brazil, according to the statement.

All property and interests in property of those individuals that were subject to U.S. jurisdiction would be blocked, and U.S. persons were generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them.

This latest move closely followed the announcement made by the U.S. side on Monday about imposing new sanctions on Venezuelan officials loyal to the Maduro government.

The successive sanctions came amid an aid standoff in which the United States and other regional countries, in coordination with the Venezuelan opposition, declared a plan to deliver humanitarian aid to Venezuela.

Denying the existence of a humanitarian crisis, the Venezuelan government has refused to let the aid cross the border and called the aid operation a U.S.-orchestrated show designed to lead to an eventual invasion.

The Trump administration recognized Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as the nation's "interim president" on January 23, days after Maduro was inaugurated for a second term as Venezuelan president.

Supporters of the opposition protest against the Venezuelan security forces during the attempt to admit humanitarian aid to Venezuela at the Francisco de Paula Santander bridge near the border between Colombia and Venezuela in Cucuta, Colombia, February 23, 2019. /VCG Photo

In response to Washington's support for Guaido, Maduro announced he was severing "diplomatic and political" ties with the United States, ordering all the U.S. diplomatic and consular personnel to leave Venezuela in 72 hours.

Maduro on February 23 announced the severance of his country's diplomatic and political relations with Colombia, following the latter's support for Venezuela's opposition and military defectors.

UN Security Council rejects U.S., Russian resolutions on Venezuela

(With inputs from Xinhua)